Treaty of Livadia

The Treaty of Livadia was signed in October 1879 between China and Russia. It was a result of the Ili crisis, a dispute over the Chinese region centered on the Ili River in Turkistan. Russia had occupied this territory in 1871, claiming it was to protect its citizens during Muslim uprisings. After China reestablished order, Russia agreed to evacuate but the initial treaty, signed by Chinese negotiator Chonghou, was highly unfavorable to China. It returned Ili in name only, allowing Russia to retain much of the territory and gain significant trade privileges. The Chinese government was outraged, sentencing Chonghou to death. However, a subsequent treaty in February 1881, the Treaty of St. Petersburg, returned almost all of Ili to China, though China had to pay a substantial indemnity. This settlement paved the way for the incorporation of Chinese Turkistan into the province of Xinjiang in 1884.21